Agricultural implement



ly 1938. G. Q. HEPPNER 2,124,919

AGXDRICULTURAL IME'LEMENT Filed Aug. 3, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor I Q- H y/Wen Aiiorneys July 26, 1938. a. Q. HEPPNER AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. :5) 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor i Q1%/-7/J/76/ By M 5m Attorneys July 26, 1938. G. Q. HEPPNER AG-R I CULTUR AL IMPLEMENT Filed Aug. 3, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor Q Hey wash y gv w.

July 26, 1938. G. Q. HEPPNER AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 3, 1937 I Inventor .Q//6/ J/7e/ A iior'neys Patented July 2c, 1938 2,124,919

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT George Q. Heppner, Oldenburg, Ind. Application August 3, 1937, Serial No. 157,186

3 Claims. (01. 97-42) v This invention relates generally to agricultural For driving or rotating the rod 15 each rig is implements, and more particularly to that class provided adjacent its forward end with a wheel of implements known as weeders and used for H5 for. which an axle IT is provided. upl'ooting the weeds or breaking the same from 'Axle .l'! is suitably supported between the 5 their roots; and the invention together with its members H and I2 and comprises a pair of se objects and advantages will be best understood ns n Of'which'isprovidedwith a threaded from a study of the following description taken pin I8 at one end thereof and the other of which in connection with the accompanying drawings, is provided with an internal. threaded sprocket wherein: Y 1 I 9 .at one end thereof to receive the pin I8 1 Figure 1 is t p plan vi of th d whereby the two sections of the axle are detach- Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof. ably secured togethe v Figure 3 is a transverse sectional View taken A13 the detachably Connected nds 0f the axle substantially on th li 3 3 of Fi 1, sections there is secured to said sections through Figure 4 is a detail sectional view through a the medium of p s 9 t e hub of the afore- 15 drive wheel with portions of the axle therefor mentioned Wheel broken away a shown in section The outer free ends of the axle sections I! are Figure 5 is a perspective View of a rig frame suitably journaled in openings provided there- Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail sectional view for in the rig members H d taken through one of the drive wheels and illus- Axle Sections H e pmvided with Cranks trating certain details hereinafter more fully reh zzrwithrwhich are g d end of ferred to. pitmanrods 23. A v A v Figure! is a' perspective view of a brace rod m i ods2 are-pivoted as at 24 to and levers 25 formed integral with ratchet wheel Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of a dog usings 26 disposed about the rotary rod 15 30 and ratchet a sembl hereinafter more fully which latter, except for the extremities thereof, ferred t is squared in cross section as will be clear from R fe rin t th drawings by r f r n a consideration of Fig. 1 of the drawings. If, merals it will be seen that the weeder is of the and as shown, it be desired, rod 4 5 s p vided rotary rod t and comp-rises a main fr m 5 at intervals with circular portions, it is concenequipped t t forward end t a draft tongue tric to these circular portions that the parts 26 30 s and at its rear end with a seat 1 for the 0f levers 25 are disposedoperator, Keyed to the said circular portions of the rod Intermediate its ends the sides of the frame 5 are ratchet Wheels 27, the keys Connection are provided bearings 8 Support an between the Wheels and the being in- 40 l 9 on t ends of which are provided-the dicated by the reference numeral 28 and clearly 5 t ti wheels g illustrated in Fig. 8.

I th present instance, the implement is For transmitting movement of the levers 25 to shown as provided with two rigs, each of which the rod l5 said levers are equipped with suitable is indicated generally by the reference numeral Spring Pressed dogs 29 that engage the ratchet m wheels 2'! in a manner also clearly shown in 40 Each rig I 0 includes a frame including an inmg ner frame member H and an outer frame It will thus be seen that as wheel l6 revolves h [2 and the frame members H and g at one drive is transmitted from the axle I! and through end converge toward one a oth and terminate the links or connecting rods 23 to the levers 25 in parallel apertured lugs throu h the di causing the latter to oscillate. Obviously as le- 45 of which and a bolt l3 said frame members are S 25 Oscillate dogs 9 e o ht to enpivoted to a hanger bracket I4 secured to and gagement W h S c ss e teeth Of the ratchet depending from the forward end of the frame 5. Wheels 21 so that weeder rod I5 is caused to As shown the outer frame member l2 at its continuously rotate in a counterclockwise difree or rear end is ofiset laterally outwardly and rection. 50 at their free ends the frame members II and I2 Adjacent the beam equipped ends thereof rig terminate in depending substantially C-shaped frame members II and H! are braced relative to beams or extensions Ila, I2a. The extensions one another through the medium of a trans- Ha, Ha at their terminals are apertured to proverse brace rod 30, the intermediate portion of vide bearings for the ends of a rotary rod I 5. which is formed into a substantial inverted U. 55

Suitably secured to the U-shaped portions 30 of the braces are the lower ends of coil springs 30a. The outermost coil springs 3011, at their upper ends bear against the underside of the side members of frame 5 while the innermost springs 30a at their upper ends bear against a cross bar 3| extending between intermediate portions of the side members of frame 5 as best shown in Figure 3. It will thus be seen that springs 30a will act on the braces 30 to normally urge the beams Ha, l2a of the respective rigs vertically downwardly.

Also to facilitate controlling the digging depth of the rotary rods [5 there are suitably mounted on the side frame members ll of rigs I0 adjacent the rear ends of side members stirrups 32 to accommodate the feet of the operator whereby the legs of the operator may be utilized for vertically swinging the rigs l0 and thereby control the digging depth of the weeding rotary rods Hi.

It will thus be seen that as the weeder is drawn over the ground wheels H5 in contact with the ground will rotate for transmitting drive in a manner hereinbefore described in detail to the rotary rods l5 for rotating the rods, continuously, for effectively uprooting the weeds.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of a rotary rod weeder of the character embodying the features of the present invention will be had without any more detailed description thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a rotary rod weeder, the combination of a frame, a pair of supporting wheels disposed adjacent the sides of said frame, a bracket depending from the frame at the forward end of the latter, a rig pivoted at one end to said bracket, an axle transversely journaled in said rig and provided with a pair of cranks, a ground engaging drive wheel mounted on said axle for rotating the latter, a transversely extending rotary rod supported by said rig at the rear end of the latter and adapted to penetrate the ground and means connected with said rotary rod and said axle for driving said rotary rod from said axle.

2. In a rotary rod weeder, a wheel supported frame, a rig pivoted at one end to the forward end of the frame, a rotary rod supported by said rig at the rear end of the latter and adapted to penetrate the ground, an axle journaled in said rig adjacent the forward end of the latter, a ground engaging wheel fixed on said axle, said axle being provided with a pair of cranks, ratchet wheels mounted on said rotary rod, levers having annular portions disposed circumjacent said rotary rod and substantially enclosing said ratchets, dogs carried by said levers and engageable with the ratchets for transmitting movement of the lever to the rod for rotating the latter continuously in one direction, and connecting rods connecting the cranks of said axle with said levers for oscillating the latter and thereby drive said rotary rod from said axle.

3. In a rotary rod weeder, a wheel supported frame provided with draft means at one end and a seat at its rear end, a pair of rigs pivoted at their forward ends to the forward end of said frame, each of said rigs including a pair of side members having substantially C-shaped free rear end portions, a transverse rotary rod supported by said C-shaped end portions and adapted to penetrate the ground, an axle supported between the side members of each rig and having end journaled in said side members, a ground engaging wheel fixedly mounted on said axle, and means for driving said rotary rod from said axle; and one of the side members of each rig adjacent the rear end thereof being provided with a stirrup to accommodate the foot of the occupant of said seat whereby the legs of the occupant may be utilized for adjusting the rigs vertically to control the digging depth of the rotary rods.

' GEORGE Q. HEPPNER. 

